Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath formed in Birmingham in 1968 and have been rocking the world for 44 years.

They have just recently announced a world tour and a new studio album with all four original members.Ozzy Osbourne Vocals,Tony Iommi Guitar,Geezer Butler Bass and Bill Ward Drums.

For now i will only have a basic band bio and discovery of all things sabbath.

I guess what follows below is more of a album discovery rather than a biography.

I am trying to keep this as brief as i can.As black sabbath`s story could not be entirely
told in just a few pages.
Black sabbath formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969
They originally called their jazz-blues band Polka Tulk, later renaming themselves Earth.
They decided to change their name again when they found that they
were being mistaken for another group called Earth.
Geezer Butler had written a song that took its title from a film
directed by Mario Bava, Black Sabbath, and the group adopted it as their name.
They were signed to Philips Records in 1969. In January 1970, the Philips subsidiary Fontana
released their first album (self titled) and debut single, Evil Womam.
Musically and lyrically the album was considered quite "dark" for the time
The album has been credited for pioneering heavy metal, stoner rock, doom metal.Track listing
1. "Black Sabbath"
2. "The Wizard"
3. "Behind the Wall of Sleep"
4. "N.I.B."
5. "Evil Woman"
6. "Sleeping Village"
7. "The Warning"
8. "Wicked World

September 1970 ParanoidThe title track, paranoid as a single hit the Top Five in the U.K and the album went to no 1
in the us the album broke into the Top Ten in March 1971 and remained in the charts over a year,
eventually selling over four million copies.
The single "Paranoid" was written in the studio at the last minute to fulfill the
record label's request for a single.
The song "Iron Man" was originally entitled "Iron Bloke"
Paranoid has been regarded by many as Black Sabbath's best album,
and by some the best heavy metal album of all timetrack listing
1. "War Pigs"
2. "Paranoid"
3. "Planet Caravan"
4. "Iron Man"
5. "Electric Funeral"
6. "Hand of Doom"
7. "Rat Salad"
8. "Fairies Wear Boots"

August 1971 Master of Reality
The third album, followed in reaching the Top Ten on both sides of the Atlantic and selling over a million copies
Master of Reality was certified double platinum after having sold over 2 million copies
It is sometimes noted as the first stoner rock albumTrack listing
1. "Sweet Leaf"
2. "After Forever"
3. "Embryo"
4. "Children of the Grave
5. "Orchid"
6. "Lord of This World"
7. "Solitude"
8. "Into the Void"

September 1972 Black Sabbath, Vol. 4
Was another Top Ten, million-seller.
The album was originally to be titled Snowblind, after one of several songs
referring to cocaine use.
The recording process was plagued with problems, many due to substance abuse issues.Track listing
1. "Wheels of Confusion/The Straightener"
2. "Tomorrow's Dream"
3. "Changes"
4. "FX"
5. "Supernaut"
6. "Snowblind"
7. "Cornucopia"
8. "Laguna Sunrise" (instrumental)
9. "St. Vitus Dance" 2:30
10. "Under the Sun/Every Day Comes and Goes"

November 1973 Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Brought in Yes keyboard player Rick Wakeman on one track
signaling a slight change in musical direction.
It was Black Sabbath's fifth straight Top Ten hit and a million-seller and
in the UK it was the first Black Sabbath album to attain
Silver certification.Track listing
1. "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath"
2. "A National Acrobat"
3. "Fluff"
4. "Sabbra Cadabra"
5. "Killing Yourself to Live *"
6. "Who Are You?"
7. "Looking for Today"
8. "Spiral Architect"

The band began a world tour in January 1974, which culminated at the California Jam festival in Ontario,
California on 6 April 1974. Attracting over 200,000 fans.
The group went through managerial disputes that idled them for an extended period.

July 1975 Sabotage
The LP reached the Top 20, it did not match previous sales levels.
Sabotage peaked at number 7 in the United Kingdom[5] and at number 28 in the United States.
On some of the first vinyl/cassette releases there is a short, 31-second hidden track titled
"Blow on a Jug" features Ozzy Osbourne and Bill Ward messing around in the studio
"Blow on a Jug" also appeared on latter CD remasters, as wellTrack listing
1. "Hole in the Sky"
2. "Don't Start (Too Late)"
3. "Symptom of the Universe"
4. "Megalomania"
5. "Thrill of It All"
6. "Supertzar"
7. "Am I Going Insane (Radio)"
8. "The Writ"

October 1976 Technical Ecstasy
This was the seventh studio album for black sabbath and was a very low selling album
nevertheless i still find this as one of my favorites.
It was at this point ozzy became frustrated eventually led to his quitting the band for a short time
in November 1977.
He was replaced for some live dates by former Savoy Brown singer Dave Walker
ozzy returned in January 1978track listing
1. "Back Street Kids"
2. "You Won't Change Me"
3. "It's Alright"
4. "Gypsy"
5. "All Moving Parts (Stand Still)"
6. "Rock 'n' Roll Doctor"
7. "She's Gone"
8. "Dirty Women"

September 1978 Never Say Die
Ozzy returned to the band
the title track becoming a U.K. Top 40 hit and "Hard Road" making the Top 40 afterwards.
Some of the songs were co writen by Dave Walker Fleetwood Mac vocalist.
Ozzy refused to sing any of the songs written with Walker.including "Junior's Eyes"about the
then-recent death of Ozzy's father.
Ozzy quoted "Never Say Die and it was the worst piece of work that I've ever had anything
to do with".Track listing
1. "Never Say Die"
2. "Johnny Blade"
3. "Junior's Eyes"
4. "A Hard Road"
5. "Shock Wave"
6. "Air Dance"
7. "Over to You"
8. "Breakout*
9. "Swinging the Chain"

April 1980 Heaven and Hell
Heaven and Hell became one of Black Sabbath's best-selling albums
revitalizing Sabbath's fortunes.
The album was a million-seller in Britain, it was a Top Ten hit that
threw off two chart singles Neon Knights" and "Die Young.
This was the first album after singer Ozzy Osbourne was fired from the band and
replaced with Ronnie James Dio.I guess it seemed this was a bad time for ozzy
it certainly was,but as we all know ozzy`s fortunes were just around the corner.
Drummer Bill Ward completed this album and toured with the band
but drinking and other personal factors would eventually prevent him from
completing the Black and Blue Tour.
Bill Ward says he has "no memory" of making the album, due in part to his alcoholism
Bill Ward was replaced by Vinny Appice and would become an official member.Track listing
1. "Neon Knights"
2. "Children of the Sea"
3. "Lady Evil"
4. "Heaven and Hell"
5. "Wishing Well"
6. "Die Young"
7. "Walk Away"
8. "Lonely Is the Word"

November 1981 Mob Rules
In the U.S, it went gold, and in the U.K. it reached the Top 20
and spawned two chart singles mob rules and Turn up the Night
Unfortunately there is not more that can be said about this album other than,
It is awsum (only my opinion)
A different recording of mob rules appeared in the animated motion picture Heavy Metal.Track listing
1. "Turn Up the Night"
2. "Voodoo"
3. "The Sign of the Southern Cross"
4. "E5150"
5. "The Mob Rules"
6. "Country Girl"
7. "Slipping Away"
8. "Falling Off the Edge of the World"
9. "Over and Over"

1983 Live Evil
Was a concert album of the Mob Rules World Tour, that ran from 15 November 1981 to 13
August 1982.
Iommi and Dio clashed over the mixing of this,All parties have since denied that this occurred and laid the
and laid blame on the engineer.
It was at this point Dio left Black Sabbath, taking Appice with him.Track listing
1. "E5150"
2. "Neon Knights"
3. "N.I.B."
4. "Children of the Sea"
5. "Voodoo"
6. "Black Sabbath"
7. "War Pigs"
8. "Iron Man"
9. "The Mob Rules"
10. "Heaven and Hell"
11. "The Sign of the Southern Cross/Heaven and Hell
12. "Paranoid"
13. "Children of the Grave"
14. "Fluff"

August 1983 Born again
The group reorganized by persuading original drummer Bill Ward to return and
in a move that surprised heavy metal fans, recruiting Ian Gillan former Deep Purple singer
Born again reached #4 in the UK charts as well as the top 40 in the United States
surprising the critics.Track listing
1. "Trashed"
2. "Stonehenge"
3. "Disturbing the Priest"
4. "The Dark" – 0:45
5. "Zero the Hero"
6. "Digital Bitch"
7. "Born Again"
8. "Hot Line"
9. "Keep it Warm"

Gillan remained with Black Sabbath until March 1984,
Black Sabbath reunited with Ozzy Osbourne for its set at the Live Aid concert on July 13, 1985
but soon after the performance, bassist Geezer Butler left the band

January 1986 Seventh Star
This album was a modest commercial success
Seventh Star was originally written, recorded, and intended to be the first solo album
by guitarist Tony Iommi
The album was billed as Black Sabbath featuring Tony Iommi, Glenn Hughes, ex-Deep Purple
bassist and vocalist.
Seventh Star was the first album to feature long-time keyboardist Geoff Nicholls as an
official band member.Track listing
1. "In for the Kill"
2. "No Stranger to Love"
3. "Turn to Stone"
4. "Sphinx (The Guardian)"
5. "Seventh Star"
6. "Danger Zone"
7. "Heart Like a Wheel"
8. "Angry Heart"
9. "In Memory..."

November 1987 The Eternal Idol
failed to crack the U.K. Top 50 or the U.S. Top 100
Although it did It spend six weeks on the Billboard 200 chart, peaking at 168
It is also the first of several Black Sabbath albums to feature vocalist Tony Martin.Track listing
1. "The Shining"
2. "Ancient Warrior"
3. "Hard Life to Love"
4. "Glory Ride"
5. "Born to Lose"
6. "Nightmare"
7. "Scarlet Pimpernel"
8. "Lost Forever"
9. "Eternal Idol"

April 1989 Headless Cross
This album also did not do so well in the charts although it peaked at number 115
Headless Cross was praised among critics and fans being considered the best
Sabbath album in years and is an album
of which both Martin and Tony Iommi are very proud of.
The track "When Death Calls" has a guitar solo by Queen guitarist Brian May.Track listing
1. "The Gates of Hell"
2. "Headless Cross"
3. "Devil & Daughter"
4. "When Death Calls"
5. "Kill in the Spirit World"
6. "Call of the Wild"
7. "Black Moon"
8. "Nightwing"

August 1990 TYR
Sabbath's first regular album to miss the U.S. charts
Although i think this is one of their most heavier and darker albums.Track listing
1. "Anno Mundi (The Vision)"
2. "The Law Maker"
3. "Jerusalem"
4. "The Sabbath Stones"
5. "The Battle of Týr"
6. "Odin's Court"
7. "Valhalla"
8. "Feels Good to Me"
9. "Heaven in Black"

June 1992 Dehumanizer
Iommi was able to reunite the 1979-1983 lineup of the band
himself,Butler, Ronnie James Dio, and Vinny Appice
Dehumanizer brought Black Sabbath back into the American Top 50 for the
first time in nine years in th UK TV Crimes, their first Top 40 hit in a decade.Track listing
1. "Computer God"
2. "After All (The Dead)"
3. "TV Crimes" – 3:58
4. "Letters from Earth"
5. "Master of Insanity"
5. "Time Machine"
6. "Sins of the Father"
7. "Too Late"
8. "I"
9. "Buried Alive"

June 1995 Forbidden
Is the eighteenth and last studio album "at the moment"
This album was canned by critics and fans and it is also said
this album was made just to fill contract obligations.Track listing
1. "The Illusion of Power"
2. "Get a Grip"
3. "Can't Get Close Enough"
4. "Shaking Off the Chains"
5. "I Won't Cry for You"
6. "Guilty as Hell"
7. "Sick and Tired"
8. "Rusty Angels"
9. "Forbidden"
10. "Kiss of Death"

Live albums
1980 Live at Last
1982 Live Evil
1995 Cross Purposes Live
1998 Reunion
2002 Past Lives
2007 Live at Hammersmith Odeon
Compilation albums
1976 We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll
1992 The Collection
1996 The Sabbath Stones
2002 Symptom of the Universe: The Original
Black Sabbath 1970–1978
2004 Black Box: The Complete Original Black
Sabbath (1970–1978)
2006 Greatest Hits 1970–1978
2007 Black Sabbath: The Dio Years
2008 The Rules of Hell
2009 Greatest Hits
Videos
1978 Never Say Die
1980 Black and Blue
1992 The Black Sabbath Story, Vol. 1, Vol. 2
1995 Cross Purposes Live
1999 The Last Supper
1999 Inside Black Sabbath – 1970–1992
(Black Sabbath in concert 1970)
2005 Black Sabbath's Paranoid
2005 Black Sabbath – Rock Review
2007 Madman Alive In Athens - Rockwave 2005
2007 In Their Own Words
Where or when will it end for black sabbath, i know the music will stay with us
until the end of days, but their story is yet to be completed.

R.I.P

Ronnie James Dio

July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010

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